Goodluck Jonathan Is Nigeria's New President

Jonathan being sworn in

Nigeria's acting leader, Goodluck Jonathan, has been sworn in as president hours after the elected president, Umaru Yar'Adua, died following a long illness.

Mr. Jonathan took the oath of office Thursday morning in a televised ceremony at the presidential palace.

Mr. Yar'Adua died late Wednesday at the presidential villa. He was 58.

Mr. Jonathan said his country has lost the "jewel on its crown."

Mr. Yar'Adua had been incapacitated by illness since late November and recently spent three months in a hospital in Saudi Arabia because of an inflammation of the muscles surrounding his heart.

His absence led to a political crisis that culminated in February, when Nigeria's parliament named Vice President Jonathan the country's acting leader.

Mr. Yar'Adua returned to Nigeria in late February, but had not been seen in public since then.

The presidency Thursday announced seven days of national mourning and said Mr. Yar'Adua would be buried later in the day. A presidential spokesman said first lady Turai Yar'Adua was at the president's side when he died.

U.S. President Barack Obama and U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon expressed sadness at the death of President Yar'Adua. They praised Mr. Yar'Adua for his efforts to promote peace and stability in Africa at large, and at home in Nigeria's Niger Delta.

President Yar'Adua had suffered from poor health for years. In addition to his heart condition, he was also known to have a chronic kidney ailment.

His death leaves the ruling party divided. Acting President Jonathan has not ruled out running for president himself next year.

But he is from southern Nigeria. The ruling party's chairman says the next candidate should be from northern Nigeria to complete the eight years promised northern politicians under an informal power-sharing agreement that rotates the presidency between the mainly-Muslim north and largely-Christian south every two terms.